This was NOT the game to show young aspiring baseball players. The Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers played in one of the sorriest affairs in ML history. Both teams pitching combined to allow 18 runs and 24 hits. Both teams committed a combined 4 errors and even some plays that weren't errors, should have been. The good news was the Red Sox came out on the right side of it. "The Undefeated" Nick Pivetta (4-0, 3.23 ERA) continued his win streak by tossing 5 innings of 3 runs ball. The Sox offense came alive to knock out starter Michael Fulmer in the first inning, scoring 9 runs to take a 9-3 lead after 5. As usual the Sox bullpen crapped the bed after that as Austin Brice allowed 4 runs in the top of the sixth to make a game of it. Hunter Renfroe hit his 100th career home run to give some cushion but Darwinzon Hernandez walked the bases loaded in the top of the eighth. Matt Barnes came in to get a double play and slam the door in the top of the ninth to save the game. The Sox gave up 7 runs and committed 3 errors but won the game 11-7 at Fenway Park.
Pivetta got the ball to start the top of the first and Robbie Grossman walked to start. Jeimer Candelario struck out swinging but Grossman swiped second. Miguel Cabrera grounded out to third and Xander Bogaerts made a great play to rob Jonathan Schoop of a home run to end the inning. Fulmer got the ball to start the bottom of the first and the Sox pounded him. Kike Hernandez walked to start but Alex Verdugo hit a double play ball to Fulmer....that he THREW AWAY! Hernandez made it to third and he scored when JD Martinez beat out a double play ball. Xander Bogaerts singled to right and Christian Vazquez scored Martinez with a base hit to center. Marwin Gonzalez singled to center to score Bogaerts to increase the lead. Hunter Renfroe singled home Vazquez for another run and chase Fulmer after just 2/3 of an inning. Alex Lange came in and Bobby Dalbec struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-0.
The Tigers struck right back in the top of the second although Niko Goodrum took strike three to start. Wilson Ramos and Willi Castro stroked back to back singles but JaCoby Jones struck out swinging. Victor Reyes singled home Ramos and Grossman singled home Castro to cut the lead, but Candelario grounded out to first to end the inning with the Tigers down 4-2.
The Sox roared back in the bottom of the second although Hernandez grounded out to short to start. Verdugo pounded his fourth home run of the season into the Monster Seats to increase the lead and Martinez singled to center. Bogaerts then crushed his sixth home run into the Monster Seats to increase the lead before Vazquez singled to right to chase Lange. Daniel Norris got Gonzalez to bang into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 7-2.
Pivetta cruised in the top of the third as Cabrera took strike three to start. Schoop went down hacking and Goodrum also struck out swinging to end the inning. Arroyo stuck out swinging to start the bottom of the third but Renfroe hit a ground-rule double into the bullpen. Renfroe moved to third on the grounder by Dalbec and Hernandez walked. A wild pitch scored Renfroe and Verdugo walked to chase Norris. Bryan Garcia came in to pitch and Martinez was rung up for strike three to end the inning with the Sox up 8-2.
Pivetta stayed strong in the top of the fourth as Ramos struck out swinging to start. Castro grounded out to first and Jones whiffed to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the fourth as Bogaerts lined out to left to start. Vazquez lined out to second and Gonzalez popped up to third to end the inning.
The Tigers struck back in the top of the fifth as Reyes singled to left and Grossman doubled him home to cut the lead. Candelario walked but Cabrera banged into a double play. Schoop grounded out to third to end the inning. That was it for Pivetta who threw 100 pitches in 5 innings but left with an 8-3 lead.
The Sox got the run back in the bottom of the fifth off new pitcher Buck Farmer. Arroyo grounded out to short but Renfroe clobbered career home run number 100 into the Monster Seats to increase the lead. Dalbec flied out to center and Hernandez grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-3.
Austin Brice came in to crap his pants in top of the sixth as Goodrum singled to right to start. Ramos flied out to right but Castro was plunked. JaCoby Jones hit a home run all the way to Gloucester Harbor to cut the lead. Reyes doubled to left and that was it for Brice. Matt Andriese came in and Grossman singled home Reyes to cut the lead. Grossman took off for second and Vazquez' throw went 100 feet over the head of Bogaerts for an error that allowed Grossman to take third. Andriese recovered to freeze both Candelario and Cabrera to end the inning but the Tigers were back in it 9-7.
The Sox got some insurance in the bottom of the sixth against Tyler Alexander although Verdugo lined out to center to start. Martinez singled to left but Bogaerts whiffed. Vazquez doubled home Martinez to increase the lead but Gonzalez flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox ahead 10-7.
Adam Ottavino came in for the top of the seventh and Schoop was retired on a squibber in front of the plate to start. Goodrum walked and took off for second only for Vazquez throw to bounce off the mound and riccochet into the stands for an error to move Goodrum to third. Ottavino recovered to strike out both Ramos and Castro swinging to end the inning. Arroyo struck out swinging to start the bottom of the seventh and Renfroe flied out to right. Dalbec lined out to third to end the inning.
Darwinzon Hernandez came in for the top of the eighth and got Jones to pop up to second to start. The floodgates opened as Reyes hit a routine grounder to Dalbec who dropped an elbow on the ball and pinned it for an error. Grossman walked, a wild pitch moved both runners over and Candelario walked to load the bases. Sox manager Alex Cora brought in closer Matt Barnes to stop the bleeding and he got Cabrera to bang into a double play to end the inning.
Jose Cisnero came in for the bottom of the eighth and Hernandez iced the game with his fourth home run of the season to increase the lead. Verdugo singled to center but Martinez lined out to center. Verdugo moved to second on a swinging bunt by Bogaerts in front of the plate but Vazquez struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox ahead 11-7.
Barnes came back to close out the top of the ninth as Schoop popped up to first to start. Goodrum struck out swinging and Ramos flied out to right to end the game. The Sox had won it 11-7.
Hero of the Night is Matt Barnes. He escaped a bases loaded jam in the eighth and slammed the door in the ninth.
The Good:
Kike Hernandez was 1 for 3 with 2 walks, 2 runs scored and a home run.
Alex Verdugo was 2 for 4 with a walk and a home run.
JD Martinez was 2 for 5 with an rbi and 3 runs scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 5 with a 2 run homer and 2 runs scored.
Christian Vazquez was 3 for 5 with an 2 rbis and a run scored.
Hunter Renfroe was 3 for 5 with 2 total rbis, 2 total runs scored and a home run.
Nick Pivetta got the win by tossing 5 innings of 3 run ball while striking out 8.
Adam Ottavino pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
The Bad:
Christian Arroyo was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Bobby Dalbec was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and an error.
Austin Brice was charged with 4 runs in 1/3 of an inning.
Darwinzon Hernandez walked the bases loaded in the top of the eighth.
The Ugly:
Marwin Gonzalez was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Matt Andriese allowed an inherited runner to score in 2/3 of an inning.
Final Thoughts:
That win was UGGGGGGGGGLY! The Sox have no business going life or death with the Detroit Tigers, especially how easily the New York Yankees beat them over the weekend. Giving up 7 runs and committing 3 errors is inexcusable against a team this bad but the Tigers found a way to screw that up. I know its the Tigers but Renfroe finally seemed to actually be able to hit the ball and Hernandez found a way to go yard. The minor league season started today so Franchy Cordero's days are numbered, its a matter of if Renfroe and Dalbec can avoid Worcester by playing well. At least Renfroe answered the call tonight, falling a triple short of the cycle. The bullpen almost blew another one and its becoming clear the Sox are going to need more help in there. Phillips Valdez hasn't pitched in a week and Brice pitched like crap tonight. Darwinzon Hernandez also struggled and its not looking good for the 2020 holdovers. Andriese, Ottavino and Barnes had to bail them out after Pivetta left and that can't continue, especially if guys aren't capable of going more than 5 or 6 innings. Still, the good news is the offense came to play tonight and Pivetta remains undefeated. The win improved the Sox to 18-12, 2.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. Tomorrow night the Sox look to make it two in a row when they send Martin Perez (0-2, 4.70 ERA) to the mound against Casey Mize of the Tigers. The game begins at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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